Belle's Friend
by scribblez33
Summary: AU. written in 2006. found on one of my old flashdrives. Belle has a friend come to visit.


Belle was mortified when she met the Beast. She made a deal with him that in return for the release of her father, she would live in his castle for the rest of her life, but she could not leave the castle grounds.

Unlike other people that the Beast had scared off, and to popular belief by the servants of the castle, Belle knew of the enchanted spell they were all under.

Belle thought the beast was arrogant and selfish for keeping her locked up in the castle; he even too her cell phone! She knew he was only acting like this so he could keep her at a distance, hoping eventually they would fall in love and break the spell.

"HAH! Fat chance of that ever happening, Beast! I'm onto you and your games. I can't believe that he took my cell phone." Belle said outloud to the walls of her room, which to this point (one month exactly two hours ago), have proven not to talk back like some of the furniture in her room. Her cell phone was the only connection to the outside world. Even on her farm back home, she would read books and talk to herself out loud about them. She dreamed of what it would be like to live an adventure like the one she had just read. Sometimes though, you could find her on a bale of hay talking on her cell phone.

Day after day, the Beast would try to do something to make Belle love him, but she refused.

"Belle?" a soft knock on the door took Belle away from her thoughts. It was Beast.

She opened the door and slammed it in his face.

"I brought you something" Beast tried again.

Belle opened the door to see Beast standing there with her phone in his paw. She grabbed it, gave him a quick hug and a thank you, and shut the door again. This time more gentle than that last.

Beast took that as a sign of her warming up to him. He couldn't ignore the certain flip flop of his stomach when she did.

Over the next month, Belle stayed in her room talking to her best friend, Anastasia Alexander, princess of a neighbouring land to Paris.

"You did promise to stay in exchange for your father's life." Anastasia would constantly remind her. "He did give you back your phone. You could give him another chance, maybe?"

Belle let out a sigh. She knew that Ana was right.

"Anastasia is the princess. She cares for her people and does give very good advice. Maybe she is right, maybe there is a chance that we could be friends. I'll go talk to him." Belle finally decided.

Belle began her walk to the West Wing. Climbing the stairs, she started to wonder why he had forbidden her to come up. "It's a beautiful wing of the castle. I wonder why I cant be here. Maybe he will change his mind after we talk." She said with confidence.

Quietly she approached the door and knocked. "Beast, can I talk with you?" She asked as she knocked again. Hearing no answer, she pushed the door open and walked in.

Belle was surprised to see a rose on a table. Almost as if by magic, she started to walk closer to it.

Beast was on his bed when he saw Belle walking towards the rose. He grunted as he quickly ran to his enchanted rose. He couldn't let her know just yet about the spell he was under. As he turned away from the rose, he saw Belle, scared behind a stool. He could not determine the look in her eyes other than fear.

"If you wont let me leave, can you let my friend come to stay?" She asked in a soft whisper, eyes glued to the floor.

He was intrigued by the proposition. Motioning to the balcony, the two went and sat.

"I am intrigued by the proposition, and I do not have any qualms having another…visitor here. I just am a private person as you can tell. If I allow this, it must only be for two weeks. You must pick her up, you must take her back, and you must blindfold her." Beast waited for a response.

Belle smiled, hugged him once again, and slipped back through the large doors she came from. Completely forgetting what she had originally come to talk to him about.

While back in her room, she dialed Ana's number. "He said you could come to visit under a few conditions."

The next week, Anastasia curtsied, acknowledging the Beast and his servants as she entered the castle.

Once alone with Belle in her room, she demanded every small detail out of her best friend. Belle protested but Ana pressed her forward. She had a plan to bring the two together.

Anastasia waited until Belle had fallen asleep one night and tiptoed to the kitchen. She had gathered some assistants for this plan. As she explained the extravagant dinner she wanted the two to have, the dress attire, the music, and the candle light, the servants eagerly volunteered to do what they could.

Anastasia was thrilled to let Belle borrow a large, yellow dress for the occasion.

"I still do not understand why you won't eat with us tonight. Or why you have me all dressed up." Belle looked over at her friend who just sat on the bed looking bored.

"You'll see soon enough." Was the response Anastasia gave her.

"Dinner, is served." A small clock came to the door and announced.

"Thank you, kind sir." Anastasia opened up the door and shooed Belle out.

The servants played their parts perfectly. Some were singing, playing music, serving food, and handling the lighting in the ball room. They wanted to be rid of the curse as badly as the Beast did.

Belle and Beast danced the night away and a friendship became quick and steady between the two of them.

The time for Anastasia to return to her home came. Belle was sad to see her best friend leave, but thankful she had the Beast to turn to now too. She would not admit this to her friend, and sometimes it was hard to believe herself, but she was falling for the Beast.

As the days continued, Belle found herself at the stables with her horse more. She missed her farm, and Ana.

"I have a gift for you." Beast lead Belle into the library and opened the curtains. "Its all yours."

Belle squealed with delight and hugged her gentle friend. "Thank you so much!"

That night she called Ana and told her about the library. "He said it was all mine."

Anastasia smiled at her phone. Her plan was to get them together, and she had a feeling it was only a matter of time.

It was one month since Anastasia had left the castle, and Belle was not as lonely as she thought she would be. She and Beast spent the evenings after dinner reading books. Even though he couldn't read as much as Belle, she was patient with him and helped him with words that were difficult.

This night, Beast had another surprise for her.

"I want you to go home. See your family. I release you. You are no longer my prisoner."  
"Are you sure? I did give you my word. I will stay, if you want." The truth was, she didn't want to leave him or the castle. She wanted to stay.

Beast merely nodded and left the room.

Belle packed her few belongings and some clothes from the castle and headed home with a heavy heart. Even though the village had missed her dearly and her father as well, Belle could only fake her joy.

Her father knew something was wrong when she stayed in bed until nine every morning neglecting her chores.

"Belle, I do not know what happened those few months in the castle, but I want you to go back. You aren't doing your chores, you haven't touched your books, and you have barely eaten a bite in the week you have been back."

"Papa," Belle didn't know how to thank him.

She rushed to the castle on her horse, only to find that she was too late. The spell that was placed on him had expired. He had not found someone to love him back and now the rose was wilted. Beast lay in a heap on the balcony.

Belle began to weep. She needed to let him know how much she loved him.

"Please, I love you." She pleaded as she hugged the Beast who was still lying on the balcony.

As Belle continued to cry, something happened that was unexplainable to her. The Beast rose to the sky and transformed back into a prince. The spell was breaking because of her love.

Belle didn't know what to do or how to act. She couldn't believe who was standing in front of her. The prince.

"Belle, it's me," the Beast said taking her hand into his own.

"It is you!" Belle cried out.

She had broken the spell, everyone was returning to normal. Everything was becoming less of a mess. The cloaking spell on the castle had been removed.

Belle called Ana, invited her to the wedding, and thanked her for all the help and advice.

"If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be married." Belle hugged her longtime friend and companion.

"It was nothing!" Ana replied, patting her friend's back. "I only hope you remember I was the one who helped you get together next time you see a duke or an earl that looks like they could be in need of a wife!" Anastasia teased.


End file.
